What 66 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Mercedes-benz Eqs SUV

The electric refrigerant compressor on my 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4MATIC SUV failed without warning. On this vehicle, the compressor is a dual-function safety-critical component: it provides cabin air conditioning and, more importantly, active cooling for the high-voltage lithium-ion battery pack. I am filing this complaint because a single-point failure in a component responsible for high-voltage battery cooling should not occur on a vehicle of this age and mileage, and because owners receive inadequate warning of the safety consequences when it does. I request that NHTSA investigate the failure rate of the electric refrigerant compressor on 2022–2024 EQS-platform vehicles and evaluate whether the battery thermal management design provides adequate redundancy and driver warning The vehicle was taken to an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer, which confirmed the refrigerant compressor failure and replacing the compressor under warranty. Parts are backordered per Mercedes. The vehicle has been off the road for 28 days The dealer did indicate awareness of similar failures on other EQS vehicles.

NHTSA ODI 11749465

Odometer Fraud. The contact leased a 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 X4. The vehicle was a dealer sale. After returning the lease vehicle to the dealer, he was informed the odometer closure was not available during the drop-off and it would be emailed. The contact stated that the vehicle was returned with the mileage at 17,000. The inspection report also indicated that the odometer reading was 17,000. The contact received a bill that indicated that the mileage was 7,000. The finance office was contacted, and they informed him to return to the dealer. The dealer indicated that the discrepancy was not his problem. The police were contacted, and a report was filed.

NHTSA ODI 11736095

While making a left turn at low speed, I applied the brakes, but the vehicle did not respond as expected and instead appeared to drift, surge, or accelerate forward. The vehicle struck a fire hydrant and a bus stop pole before crashing into a tree. Airbags deployed and both occupants sustained injuries. I suspect a possible malfunction involving braking, propulsion, electrical, or speed control systems. No final cause has been determined. The vehicle should still be available for inspection. Mercedes-Benz USA has opened a case regarding this incident.

NHTSA ODI 11731921

I am reporting a serious safety issue with my 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV. On multiple occasions, the vehicle has suddenly lost power and completely stopped while driving on the freeway without warning. During these incidents, a red warning symbol appeared on the dashboard (a red turtle icon), indicating a critical malfunction. These failures created extremely dangerous situations, as the vehicle lost the ability to maintain normal driving speed in active freeway traffic. At the time of these incidents, my three children were in the vehicle, which significantly increased the risk of a serious accident. This issue has occurred multiple times, suggesting a serious and recurring defect. The sudden loss of power combined with dashboard warning signals presents a major safety hazard and could lead to severe injury or fatal accidents. I no longer feel safe operating this vehicle and request that this issue be investigated as a potential safety defect.

NHTSA ODI 11725988

My Mercedes EQS SUV has experienced repeated safety-related defects. The brakes have intermittently locked up while driving, creating a serious safety concern. The vehicle also vibrates at highway speeds on the freeway. These issues have occurred on two separate occasions. Despite multiple service visits, the dealership has been unable to diagnose or repair the problems. During the first incident, they reset the software. During the most recent incident, multiple software error warnings appeared simultaneously, indicating system malfunctions (see images for documentation). The vehicle has now been at the Mercedes service center for over two weeks, with required parts on backorder from Mercedes and no estimated repair timeline provided.

NHTSA ODI 11708709

The vehicle throws a “charging fault” error when I try to charge my vehicle with a high speed charger. I tried two different chargers and two different locations with the same result. The safety risk is a faulty high voltage battery system. I have not taken it to the dealer yet. This just happened today. My understanding is that this is a fairly widespread issue and MB is denying all warranty claims and blaming the charging station. The only warning is the “charging fault” message on the dash display.

NHTSA ODI 11707193

While the vehicle was stationary and connected to a DC Fast Charging station (Electrify America), a thermal event occurred at the charging interface. The charging connector overheated and thermally fused (welded) to the vehicle's high-voltage charging inlet. The connector could not be released by the vehicle or the station. A technician dispatched by the charging network was unable to remove the connector using standard release protocols. The technician confirmed the equipment had failed and was forced to use physical leverage to pry the fused connector off, resulting in the fracture of the vehicle's charging receptacle. I couldn't charge the vehicle anymore and so I took it to the Mercedes dealership. The certified manufacturer diagnosis confirmed the failure was caused by a "loose connection" and thermal defect in the external charging station cable, not the vehicle. The high-voltage receptacle was destroyed. This failure mode presents a critical safety risk of fire and entrapment, as the vehicle could not be disconnected or moved during the thermal event.

NHTSA ODI 11705614

While traveling cross-country from Chicago, IL to San Diego, CA, my Mercedes-Benz EQS experienced a battery and system malfunction in Erick, Oklahoma at approximately 11:17 PM. At the time of the incident, the vehicle displayed approximately 93 miles of remaining range. I stopped to charge the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to initiate charging and subsequently lost power. Following the shutdown, the vehicle doors would not unlock. The vehicle appeared to have no usable electrical power, and there were no visible or audible instructions provided regarding emergency exit procedures. I was unaware of any mechanical emergency door release and could not reasonably locate one during the shutdown. As a result, the vehicle effectively trapped its occupants. Both my phone and my passenger’s phone were fully discharged, leaving us unable to contact roadside assistance, emergency services, or any outside help. We remained confined inside the vehicle for several hours overnight. I eventually fell asleep and woke up around 4:00 AM extremely cold. The outside temperature was approximately 31°F, and the vehicle had no heating capability due to the system shutdown. Extended confinement in freezing temperatures without heat created a serious risk of hypothermia or medical emergency. This situation caused me to experience a panic attack, and I developed a severe cough afterward, which I believe was related to cold exposure. At approximately 4:00 AM, the vehicle briefly powered on for a few seconds, which allowed me to unlock and open the door and exit the vehicle. After exiting, I attempted to have the vehicle’s battery jumped, but this was unsuccessful. The vehicle remained completely inoperable. I then had to pay approximately $700 out of pocket for towing to a Mercedes-Benz dealership, despite the vehicle still being under warranty. In order to continue my trip to California, I was forced to rent a vehicle at my own expense (approximately $400), in addition to incurri

NHTSA ODI 11705086

The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS580 4Matic. The contact stated that the vehicle was designed with Level 2 Semi-Autonomous Driving System and was purchased brand new. The contact stated that the first failure had occurred in the first month of purchase. The contact stated that while driving with the Adaptive Cruise Control with the Stop-and-Go Mode engaged, the set speed changed radically. The contact stated that while the speed was set to 60 MPH, the speed decelerated to 20 MPH unintendedly. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact stated that a staff at the dealer advised the contact that it was a known issue with similar vehicles. The contact stated that the failure recurred while the dealer was test-driving the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle back to several dealers on several occasions and the contact was provided a loaner vehicle; however, the same failure occurred with the loaner vehicles. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200.

NHTSA ODI 11701566

I recently noticed that the charging port is showing signs of melting, which is both concerning and potentially hazardous. This issue is affecting the functionality and safety of my vehicle, and I am deeply disappointed that such a problem has occurred. The charging port is a critical component of the high-voltage system. Its failure poses significant safety concerns such as overheating, sparking, and charging failure, or even potentially catch on fire. I have bring my vehicle to Walter's Mercedes of riverside @ 3213 Adams St, Riverside, CA 92504 which dealership claim it's not cover under warranty. I acquired my Mercedes-Benz vehicle in March/2024, and it is still under warranty. I've always charge the vehicle by manufacturer recommendation and use the charging station Mercedes provided which is Electrify America, Given the nature of the issue, I believe it falls under the warranty coverage or manufacture defect recall.

NHTSA ODI 11687662

The vehicle went to catch on fire and the electrical socket burnt so it could no longer charge. The airbag showed malfunction passenger side door. Multiple times the collision warning has malfunction and alerted there was a collision when none occurred.

NHTSA ODI 11679815

Car turns off completely while driving with "Battery malfunction" and "Towing not permitted" error. This happened while driving on a highway at the end of a bridge going downhill so I was able to pullover to the shoulder before the vehicle came to complete stop but if this happened while on the bridge going uphill, that could've been extremely dangerous as there was no shoulder to pull over to. This has happened about 5 times already and we've taken it to the dealership. They upgraded the vehicle's software at one point saying that would address the issue, but the issue keeps happening. I don't feel safe driving this vehicle knowing that the vehicle can come to a complete stop at any time without any warning.

NHTSA ODI 11651560

The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450. The contact stated that while attempting to charge the vehicle, the contact became aware that the vehicle failed to begin charging as expected. After a visual inspection, the contact observed that the charging port appeared to be damaged, showing signs consistent with electrical burns. The messages "Charging station fault" and "Limited availability" were displayed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V372000 (Electrical System); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 16,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11651117

2023 Mercedes EQS 450 Normal Recuperation driving around 40 mph suddenly the brakes were applied and seat belts engaged with no apparent reason or obstacle. It was for a second and released so no damage except the scare and jolt of the brake. The internet is full of discussions about this Phantom Braking with electric and non-electric vehicles of all brands. This is the first incident in the 3 months that we have owned this sedan and we will be taking it to the Mercedes dealership soon. This car is always giving warning lights and sounds with so many safety features.

NHTSA ODI 11616685

Car stopped abruptly on a two lane highway and a flashing warning came up that said electrical failure. Car jerked to a stop. Had to be towed to the dealership. Very dangerous. A friend has the same car and it happened to him twice. The cars do not need to be on the road until absolutely corrected. Needs a recall.

NHTSA ODI 11592833

SEE UPLOADED FILE SENT TO MERCEDES-BENZ. INCLUDES DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT

NHTSA ODI 11579341

When operating the vehicle, the MBUX system will switch the User Profile without warning. When doing this it will reposition the driver seat for the new profile which causing interruption to the driver operating the vehicle. During the unexpected change the driver seat and the external mirrors will reposition to the switched User Profile. This has been reported to the Dealer (Mercedez Benz of Tampa) numerous times. The MBUX System was updated by the dealer Service Dept. (04 Jan - 10 Jan 2024) but has not resolved the problem. The dealer has been informed this presents a safety issue due to the unexpected User Profile switch and the changes to the driver's seat position and external mirror positions. Despite text messages to Service Technician and Sale Associate the reports has been ignored. There's no consistency or predictable method to know when the issue happens. It has happened multiple times since purchasing the vehicle on 21 August 2023 and multiple times since the MBUX System was updated 04 Jan - 10 Jan 2024.

NHTSA ODI 11575009

when I was driving on freeway at 40-50 miles/hour with my daughter I started getting messages " Risk of vehicle rolling away" "Active Emergency Stop Assist currently unavailable" " Service required do not change transmission position". I got scared and moved to side safety lane in heavy running traffic. Car stopped and I tried to restart the car but car will not start at all and was getting all those messages. The car has been with the mercedes dealership from last 15 days and Initially after 5 days they mentioned that car needs software udpate and after another week they mentioned car needs replacement of Power Electronics Module.

NHTSA ODI 11573909

Vehicle would start and then shutdown. It would display the battery malfunction error. You would need to reset the vehicle with the key in order to activate/start the vehicle again. Dealer said they need to replace the MUC but Mercedes told the dealer to try a software update before. The vehicle is still not running the more recent software RL_NTG7_E316.505_22092AC3. Other vehicles are running E330. I don’t believe the dealer updated my software and this issue could happen and caused the vehicle to become disabled somewhere which would case an issue.

NHTSA ODI 11546108

On 05Jun23, EQS 450+ suddenly reduced the speed to 30mph on the SRT highway while I was driving with cruise control set to 70mph. This creates sudden deceleration in the car and slow down as well as on the left lane traffic where there was a following car behind me with high speed. This happens multiple times when I was driving on the different highways in Texas as well as in FM roads. Car’s Behavior while Cruise control is SET to 70+mph and Intelligent Recuperation is ON. Highway Speed Sign is 70mph. Sudden, unexpected deceleration Wrong speed sign pops up on the dashboard Confusing warning sound Speed sign Indicator acts like inconsistent or confused by changing from 30mph to 45mph or vice versa.

NHTSA ODI 11528510

At approximately 10:30 p.m. on January 8, 2023 I, and three passengers (my wife, and another couple), were completing a one hour drive returning from an event in southern California. We traveled on the freeways as we headed home. The speeds on those freeways average between 65 and 75 miles per hour with the flow of traffic. I exited the freeway and pulled up to a traffic light. I made a right turn at the light, then traveled up the road. The weather was clear and dry, and there were no cars either behind, in front of, or beside me as I drove up a cleanly paved and level road at a speed of approximately 35 – 40 MPH. During the drive up the road, the car inexplicably and suddenly stopped, hard, as though I had run into a dense hill of sand. It was a violent and sudden jolting stop, and all four passengers’ seatbelts activated, firmly tightening and restraining us in our seats. My wife’s head whipped back and forth, resulting in an enduring headache for her through the rest of the evening. No one knew what had happened, or why, as there was absolutely no obstruction in the road and no traffic around us. We pulled over and inspected the car and it was in pristine perfect condition with no evidence of any contact of any kind. We looked in the road and it was clear, paved and level. No animals; no objects; no obstruction. When I arrived home I searched online to determine if this had ever before been reported, and it turned up several “hits,” apparently filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) on this very issue, apparently involving both the 2021 and 2022 EQS. My model year is 2023. The discussions I have read point to a possible defect in the Autonomous Emergency Braking System (EBS). It might be the car is sensing something that is not there, and reacting as though it were. At 70 MPH on a freeway, this could be fatal, should the EBS activate suddenly, with no cause to do so, with an ensuing rear-end collision. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS.

NHTSA ODI 11501082